New Two-Concept Restaurant – Park Ave Kitchen – Opens in Midtown Manhattan

Park Ave Kitchen by David Burke opened as a restaurant with two distinct personalities, which, gastronomically visually, showcases two very different concepts, each with its own dedicated entrance – a 106-seat modern American brasserie for upscale dining and a 50-seat European-style café for grab-n-go or grab-n-stay. The latter being chef David Burke’s first foray into the fast causal arena. Situated on the corner of 48th and Lexington Avenue, the 6,000-square-foot Park Ave Kitchen is currently welcoming walkins, with reservations being accepted as of Dec. 12.

The brasserie features David Burke signatures such as Clothesline Bacon, black pepper maple glaze, pickle, lemon; Cake Pretzel Raft, Old Bay tomato jam, chipotle aioli and steaks, dry-aged by his US Patented pink Himalayan salt process. They are juxtaposed to dishes representing new culinary territory for a Burke menu like Black Sea Bass “Iki Marsala,” coconut rice, turmeric, zucchini, chickpeas and Rack of Lamb, olives, tomato couscous, merguez sausage, mint, preserved lemon, Moroccan glaze.

Other menu highlights include omato Soup “Au Gratin,” garlicky croutons, alphabet noodles, Spinach Ricotta Duck Egg Ravioli, truffle brown butter, pine nuts, Parmesan, sage, pickled blueberries and Avocado Salmon Waffle Toast, artichoke, watercress horseradish mousse, mustard oil among the appetizers. While entrée standouts are the likes of Sea Scallops with Butternut Ravioli, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, leeks, pomegranate; Bison Short Ribs, Jack cheese polenta, crispy squash rings, barbecue essence; Roasted Belle Chicken, Job’s tears. Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, butternut squash, dried cranberries; and Pork Chop with Garlicky Clams and Chorizo, mini macaroni, lemon, herb broth. There will also be what Burke calls “the classics,” such as Steak Frites and Bolognese.

And, in keeping with Park Ave Kitchen’s two personalities, there are two dishes for two, Dry-Aged “Swinging” Tomahawk Steak, hanging from a hook and hay-smoked at the table and a Porterhouse.

In the café, the house-made packaged offerings in the grab-n-go cases, including a seasonally rotating roster of 12-14 salads and the same number of sandwiches, are complemented by made-to-order hot items from the open kitchen. They will include the PAK DB Burger, day-aged beef patty, B1 sauce, pickles, sesame seed bun, pizzas (like The Goat, bacon. goat cheese, tomato orange jam, caramelized onions) and, for the first time, individual slabs of the Clothesline Bacon, which will also grace the Clothesline Bacon BLT, tomato jam, tomato, lettuce, too. Then there is the crispy chicken sandwich called The Road Runner, separated from the ubiquitous pack by its massive size and a whole chicken leg as a playful appendage, as well as jalapeno Jack cheese, cole slaw, lemon pepper sauce (there is a more conventional option, too).

Open for breakfast, lunch and early dinner, the café’s large selection of baked goods – breakfast pastries, cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies and the bread for the grab-n-go sandwiches – hail from Dixie Lee Bakery by David Burke, a 90-year NJ institution, which Burke (who studied pastry at France’s famed L’école D’arts Culinaires Lenôtre0 purchased in 2022. A number of other sweet treats will be from Jacques Torres’s kitchen, such as JT Dark Chocolate Corn Flakes.

“We went with the two-concept model to address our vibrant Midtown Manhattan location in one of its most prestigious, office buildings, 277 Park Avenue, which has just completed a $120 million-plus renovation to update and amenitze it,” said Burke in a statement. “In fact, Park Ave Kitchen is the final element of the project and we designed it to become both a local haunt and a dining destination, appealing to various aspects of the lives of people who live and work in the area.”

Each of Park Ave Kitchen’s concepts was visually defined by the Mancini Duffy. The brasserie is a study in contemporary luxe with plush brown leather booths, seafoam green azure velvet chairs, geometrically patterned black-white-red-and-blue tiles, lustrous dark blue-gray wainscotting and custom wood flooring. All bask in the glow of backlit pink Himalayan salt walls and sculpture-esque chandeliers, both decorative signatures of Burke restaurants, as are pieces from Burke’s extensive and eclectic art collection. Witness the life-size, bemused looking Humpty Dumpty at the entrance of the brasserie, what Burke calls “the wood maitre d’ at the host stand and the electric blue “baby” Bugatti perched in the window of the café.

In contrast, the café is a symphony of white, black and hues of gray characterized by their intricate interchange on the floor. Large gray and white woven bistro chairs tempt patrons to sit at round white, with the occasional traces of black and gray streaks, marble tables.

The two spaces are separated by the marble topped bar and fluted translucent panels on the brasserie side, the stainless-steel grab-go cases on the café’s side and another of Burke’s artworks in between, a colorful steampunk console.

“At Mancini Duffy, the design scheme was meticulously crafted to address the seemingly dueling programs. The Grab & Go area facilitates a swift flow for patrons moving through different stations. On the other hand, the inviting restaurant and bar provides an environment for guests to unwind over a delicious meal. Thoughtful choices in aisle widths, signage, and seating configurations guide distinct modes of movement throughout the space. Notably, strategically placed design features like high-top seating that straddles the two zones, and a continuity of materials and finishes create a unified and versatile space, ensuring a seamless transition from day to night,” Jessica Sheridan, AIA, principal at Mancini Duffy, a national design firm with a 100-plus-year-old history and tech-driven approach with headquarters in New York City.

Cauldwell Wingate, another 100-plus-year-old New York City company which has built the likes of the Thurgood Marshal Court House and Temple Emanu-El was tapped to realize the design.

Park Ave Kitchen is located at 514 Lexington Avenue (corner of 48th), New York, 10017. The brasserie is open with lunch to begin the week of the Dec.12 and brunch to follow. In the brasserie, dinner is served Monday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. (‘til 9 p.m. on Sunday) lunch will be offered daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the bar is available daily from 11 a.m. until midnight. The café – with a 508 Lexington Avenue address – will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.